Little Falls transcript., 1887-03-18
The Jewel that John Found.
BY yINcE,N,rBELL.

and red Of face, John Dart, standing
on the steps talking with two
strangers smiled as she came up, and
said in slightly surprised tones:
"You are late this morning Miss
Velga-something never before
known" 49,. IS. i. r. =.
eyes, sir. I am sorry, but I over.
slept myself"
"Up late last night-had beau,
perhaps?" suggested John, roguishly.
"No, SIR" retorted Annie, promptly,
and rather snappishly. for, even
though he was the nephew of William
Dart, the great shoeman, and the pro-
spective heir to all his wealth, she con-
sldered he was taking a liberty, especi-
ally before strangers. Perhaps pretty
and prim little Annie had some other
reason, too, for resenting his remark.
''Pretty girl" said one OF the strang-
ers after she had passed.
eyes," assented John, "'and about
the neatest. quickest girl ever in the
work-room," and then the stranger
began talking again very earnestly, as
before Annie came up the steps.
''Well," said John, 'of course you
may satisfy yourself, but 1 can tell
you beforehand there is not one of our
girls whom we do not trust. It will
take you about all day, for they live
in all directions from here, if you have
to search their rooms. AS uncle says
must go with you in that case, the
sooner it is over the better for me-"
Then they all three went up stairs to
the girls workroom.
"Will those who stopped at Dingus'
jewelry store last night, on the way
home from work, please stand up?"
said John. Over half of them stood
up. while John took down their names
and the numbers OF their rooms, and
the detectives watched each face keen
~. SO far no one was disturbed by a
guilty conscience. After tanning
beyond a doubt that all who had
been in The store reported. John an
nounced:
eve have received word that a. val
uable amount of jewelry was stolen
from this firm last night at about the
hour you were there, therefore suspi~
cion has fallen upon you, and each
girl must allow her room to be search
ed if the goods are not previously
found upon her person.
So the search began. A quiet, trusty
girl, much older than the others, and
who had not been with them the even
ing before, was appointed to conduct
the personal investigation in another
room. One after another left the
workroom to return in few minutes,
declared innocent, until the officers
were satisfied none OF the goods were
at the factory.
"Now," said John, when the last
girl had returned, will each one OF you
give me your keys in turn, for l must
accompany this officer in his search
while the other remains here'
"Not this morning spoke up Anna
Velga, quickly, while the smart detec-
tive felt the jewels in his grasp, so to
speak, and the reward in his pockets.
John looked surprised-some said he
turned a trit1e pale as he looked into
Annie's flushed guilty face.
"1es, Of course, this morning." he
answered gravely. "What difference
is it, Miss Annie?'
"None," answered Annie, hastily;
but as John took her key, the detec-
tive, thinking it best to search her
room at once, instead of in her turn,
she burst out crying and seemed so
broken down the remaining officer felt
justified in placing her under arrest.
John had visited Anpie's room be-
fore, just once, not many evenings be-
fore. He had taken her a book
to read and a small basket of
fruit, thinking that as neat a way
to begin his courtship as any. He
had thought as he left that evening
it was the prettiest, brightest little
room he had ever seen, far exceeding
any in his uncle's grand mansion.
He had little thought the next time
he climbed the stairs to room No.
80 would be upon such q painful er-
rand. He could not believe sweet lit
tie Annie guilty until it was proven,
yet he climbed the steps unwillingly,
and with more unwilling fingers turn
ed in the lock the key Annie had sur
rendered. When the door was open
he stood for q moment irresolute.
The room seemed the same, yet not
the same either. Where, the evening
he had called a. pretty Japanese
screen had stood, was now q rather
shabby though scrupulously clean lit
tie stove, and thereon skillet with g.
few potatoes left from the morning s
meal; and dainty bed, with covers
thrown back and pillows airing, was
drawn out where had stood a. small
book cabinet he had particularly no.
ticed. John reassured himself he was
in the right door by several little ar
ticles on the walls, and while the busy
detective was diving around in Annie 8
one trunk and the bureau drawers
lookingto tor the lost treasure John was
looking around at this little jewel of a
a room, a fairy's paradise as it seem.
to him. Across the foot of the bed
was a dainty Nigh ghtdress, to be sure,
made of cheap muslin and trimmed
in crochet lace, but John 1,slnot know
the difference between Il one OF
linen trimmed in h1ead.
Two small slippers set pre-
cisely under the bed and over a
stool by their side was a pair OF
red stockings turned inside out as
though to air. Indeed, I am telling
the truth when tell it, that while the
detective's back was turned searching
Annie's small dish cupboard, John
quickly stuffed that pair OF red stock
ings IN his coat pocket! Why he did
so he could never satisfactorily ex.
plain. Then, as he sat there on the
bed, looking around upon the tidy
disorder, it came across him what
was the reason of Annie's confusion